Protective helmet



'Aug. 28, 1945. FEMAN 2,383,597

PROTECTIVE HELMET Filed March 6, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 attorney Aug. 28, 1945. L. G. FEMAN PROTECTIVE HELMET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 6, 1944 (Ittorneg .ber formed of a plurality of Patented Aug. 28, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT orrice This invention relates to helmets.

One object of the invention is to provide a helmet having a head-protective member formed of a plurality of projectile-proof or resistant plates and means of improved construction for holding said plates in cooperative relation.

Another object is the provision of a projectileproof or resistant helmet which is well adapted to be worn by the crew of a war plane over the helmets which they usually wear to keep their heads warm, said projectile-proof or resistant helmet comprising a head-protective member formed of a plurality of projectile-proof or resistant plates and means of improved construction for holding'said plates in cooperative relation.

A further object is to provide a helmet of such construction as to afford the wearer excellent protection against projectiles, missiles, 4 impact, etc, and of such construction that the manufacture of the helmet with a head-protective memprojectile-proof or resistant plates is facilitated.

A yet further object is generally to improvethe construction and to facilitate the manufacture of helmets of the above designated type.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view bodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side View of the helmet, the outer of a helmet emcover being removed and with other parts being:

cut away for purpose of illustration;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the helmet, the

outer cover being removed and with other parts cut away for the purpose of illustration;

Figure 4 is a sectional view, partly in elevation, on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on a larger scale on the line 5-5 of Figure 4 Figure 6 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the lower marginal edge portion of the helmet without its cover, as seen looking from the left of Figure 2; and

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but with the cover of the helmet applied.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the helmet l0, here shown as a soldiers'helmet, is

shaped to enclose the wearers head and with portions of the bottom edge of the helmet at the opposite sides thereof recessed as indicated at I2 so as not to cover the wearers ears or ear phones.

bled relation of said plates they define'the shapeof the helmet. It will be observed by reference to Figures 3 and 4 that the helmet is wider at the back than at the front thereof and that this is accomplished by providing the side plates l4 and 22 of such shape that they progressively increase in width from their front ends 24 to their rear ends 26. The helmets [0 are particularly well adapted to be worn by the crew of a war plane over the usual leather helmets which are worn by the members of the crew to keep their heads warm.

The helmet I0 is of such'construction that it possesses a desirable degree of resiliency in all directions so that it is better able to resist impact, shock, and penetration of projectiles, missiles, etc. For this purpose the steel plates Etc 22 are disposed in such relation and are so held with respect to each other as to be relatively movable to a limited extent. More specifically, steel plates I l to 22 inclusive are disposed with their adjacent marginal side edge'portions in overlapping relation, as illustrated in Figure 4, for the full lengths thereof. These steel plates are held in this relation by a jacket 28 formed of a strong fabric, preferably a fabric such as canvas. Said jacket comprises a plurality of strips 30, 32', 34, 36 and 38 stitched to each other with their adjacent side edges in overlapping relation. Said fabric strips are cut to shape at their side edges so that when they are stitched together they form a concavoconvex inner lining conforming to the concave surface of the assembly of steel plates. As illustrated more clearly in Figure 5, the adjacent steel plates disposed with their marginal side edge portions in overlappingrelation as described above are not incontact with each other but are received in pockets provided for that purpose. Some of said pockets are formed by inner and outer fabric strips 40 and 42, which are stitched to each tween strips 48 and 42 and in the pocket formed between strip 40 and the adjacent lining strip 34.

In the construction shown, there are four intermediate pairs of strips 48, 42 and at the side ends of the helmet there are single strips 48, 50 which are stitched to the lining strips 38 and 38 respectively inwardly of the side edges thereof by lines of stitching 52 and 54 respectively providing end pockets which receive the lower marginal edge portions of the steel plates l4 and 22 respectively. The jacket 28 is thus constituted by the lining strips 30 to 38, by a plurality of strips 40, 42, which are stitched to each other and to said lining strips as described above and by said side end strips 48 and 50 which are stitched to the lining strips 38 and 38 respectively. Describing more specifically the overlapped relation of plates l4, l5, I8, 28 and 22 and the arrangement of the edges of said plates in the pockets therefor, it will be noted by reference to plate I6 is received in the pocket provided by one pair of strips 40, 42 and that the opposite side edge of plate It is received in the pocket provided by a strip 48 and thelining strip 32. Plate 18 has one of its side edges in a pocket provided by a strip and one side edge portion of the lining strip 34, and said plate l8 has its opposite side edge in the pocket provided by a strip 48 and the other side edge portion of lining strip 34. Plate 28 has one side edge thereof received in the pocket provided by a pair of strips 48 and 42 'while its opposite side edge is received in a pocket provided by a strip 40 and the lining strip 36. End plate 22 has one side edge thereof received in the pocket provided by a pair of strips 40 and 42 while its opposite side edge is received in the pocket provided by end strip 58 and lining strip 38. The other end plate l4 has one side edge thereof re- Fig. 4 that one side edge of ceived in the pocket provided by a pair of strips 40 and 42 while the opposite side edge of said plate is received in the pocket provided by'end strip 48 and the adjacent lining strip 30. The outer ends of strips 48, 42, 48 and 58 project beyond the front and rear ends of the steel plates, as illustrated more clearly in Figure 6 and said strips 40, 42, 48 and 59 are secured to the projecting end portions of the adjacent lining strips 3% to 38 by lines of stitching 86 at the front and back of the helmet. As the strips 48 and are stitched to the strips 30 and 38 respectively beyond the adjacent lower edges of saidplates 2 4 and 22, the jacket 28 has a line of stitching completely around the lower edge of the helmet outwardly of the edges of the steel plates and the jacket has a lower marginal edge portion projecting beyond the edges of the steel plate assembly to which the helmet cover 60 and the lining 62 hereinafter described are stitched. Before the cover 68 is applied, the plates M to Here held against separation from the jacket 28 by a plurality of adhesive tapes 63 such as strips of Scotch tape which can remain permanently in the helmet. More specifically, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the adhesive tapes 63 extend from one side of the helmet to the other side edge thereof and are adhered at their ends to the end strips 48 and 58 which are stitched to lining strips 38 and 38, respectively, and said adhesive strips are adhered to the other surfaces of strips 42 and the outer surface portions of the metal plates. Thus, tapes 63 hold the plates in assembled relation, with their edges disposed in the pockets as described above, it being understood that after the cover is applied said cover and lining 62 maintain the plates in position in the helmet;

i met for military or civilian use.

The helmet cover 68 comprises a plurality of fabric strips 64, 65, 66 and 68 shaped at their side edges so that when they are stitched together the cover is concavo-convex to conform to the convex curvature of the steel plate assembly, sai strips being stitched together at the seams 10, i2, and 14 which extend from the front end of the helmet to the back end thereof. Similarly the lining 62 of the helmet comprises a plurality of fabric strips 1B, 18, 88 and 82, shaped at their side edges so that when they are stitched together the lining is concavo-convex to conform to the concave curvature of the steel plate assembly and of the fabric jacket 28, said lining strips being stitched to each other by the seams 84, 86 and 88, extending from the front of the helmet to the back thereof. The front and rear ends of the cover and linin strips extend beyond the front and rear ends of the metal plates and the outer edges of the cover strips 64 and 68 and of the lining strips 16 and 82 extend beyond the lower or outer edges of the side metal plates 14 and 22 respectively. The projecting portions of said cover an lining strips are covered by a folded edging strip 98 which extends completely around the edge of the helmet and which is secured to the projecting portions of said cover and lining strips and to the projecting portions of the strips of the jacket 28 by a line of stitch 92 illustrated in Figure '7, said line of stitching 92 also serving to secure the adjacent projecting end portions of the cover and lining strips to each other and to the adjacent projecting edge portions of the strips of the jacket 28.

As illustrated in Figure 1 suitable means are provided for fastening the helmet on the wearers head. For this purpose strips 94 of leather or other suitable material are secured at their ends to the fabric edge of the helmet at the opposite ends of the adjacent recessed portion l2 of thehelmet. A chin strap 96 formed ofleather is secured to one of the strips 94 and a companion buckled strap 98 is secured to the other strip 94, straps 96 and 98 being adjustably securable to each other by the engagement of strap 96 in the buckle 99 of strap 98.

It will be understood that while the helmet i8 has been described in reference to its use for military purposes and is constructed and arranged to afford protection against bullets and other projectiles or missiles, said helmet can also be utilized for other purposes, for example, as the head gear of foot-ball players, polo players; and other athletes, and in general as a protective hel- Also it will be understood that while I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, the latter may be embodied otherwise than as herein specifically illustrated or described, and thatin the illustrated embodiment certain changes in the details of construction-and in the arrangement of parts may be made without departingfrom the underlying idea of the invention Within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A helmet having a head-protective member comprising a plurality of concavo-convex plates formed of impact-resisting material and assembled in side by side position in head covering relation, said plates being relatively movable'and having their adjacent marginal edge portions in overlapped relation for substantially the full lengths thereof, and means formed of flexible sheet material for holding said plates in said relatively movable overlapped relation.

2,383,597 2. A helmet comprising a plurality of sheet metal projectile-resistant plates of concavoconvex form disposed in side by side relation in relatively movable relation and extending from one edge of the helmet to the opposite edge thereof and forming in, combination a head-protective member having a concave inner surface adapted to conform generallyto the wearers head in covering relation thereto, and means securing said plates in said relation comprising means having recesses in which opposite side edge portions of said plates, respectively, are received and which hold said plates against outward lateral movement relatively to each other.

3. A helmet comprising a plurality of relatively movable plates of concavo-convex form disposed in side by side relation and extending from one edge of the helmet to the opposite edge thereof and forming in combination a head-protective member having a concave inner surface adapted to conform generally to the wearers head in covering relation thereto, and means securing said plates in said relatively movable relation comprising means having recesses in which opposite side edge portions of said plates, respectively, are received and which hold said plates against outward lateral movement relatively to each other, and means for limiting other movement of said plates relatively to each other.

4. A helmet comprising a plurality of relatively movable plates of concavo-convex form disposed in side by side relation and extending from one edge of the helmet to the opposite edge thereof and forming in combination a head-protective member having a concave inner surface adapted to conform generally to the Wearers head in covring relation thereto, and means securing said plates in said relatively movable relation comprising means having recesses in which opposite side edge portions of said plates, respectively, are received and which hold said plates against outward lateral movement relatively to each other,

and covers disposed at and conforming tothe' convex and concave surfaces, respectively, of said head-protective member, said covers extending outwardly beyond the peripheral edge of said head-protective member, and secured to each other peripherally of the helmet beyond said peripheral edge of the head-protective member.

5. A helmet comprisinga plurality of relatively movable plates of concavo-convex form disposed in side by side relation and extending from one edge of the helmet to the opposite edge thereof and forming in combination a head-protective memher having a concave inner surface adapted to conform generally to the wearers head in covering relation thereto, adjacent marginal edge portions of adjacent plates being disposed in overlapping relatively movable relation, a jacket having a body portion overlying and conforming to said inner concave surface of said head-pro- Y tective member and having a plurality of strips attached thereto and forming recesses in which opposite side edge portions of said plates, respectively, are received and which hold said plates against outward lateral movement relatively to each other, and means for limiting other movement of said plates relatively to each other, said last mentioned means comprising means overlapping the outer surface of said head-protective member and secured in fixed relation to said jacket.

6. A helmet comprising a plurality of sheet metal plates of concavo-convex form disposed in side by side relation and extending from one overlapping relationfor the "full lengthsof said adjacent parts, and means engaging said adjacent overlapped marginal edge portions and holding said plates in said relation.

'7. A helmet comprising a plurality of relatively movable plates of concave-convex form disposed in side by side relation andextending from one edge of the helmet to the opposite edge thereof and forming in combination a head-protective member having a concave inner surface adapted to conform generally to the wearers head in covering relation thereto, adjacent marginal edge portions of adjacent plates being disposed in overlapping relation for the full lengths of said adjacent parts, and a fabric casing enclosing said head-covering'member .and including portions engaging said adjacent overlapped marginal edge portions and limiting the movement laterally. of each other and portions limiting other movement of said plates relatively to each other.

8. A helmet comprising. a plurality of relatively movable plates of concavo-convex form disposed in side by side relation and extending from one edge of the helmet to the opposite edge thereof and forming in combination a head-protective member having a concave inner surface adapted to conform generally to the wearers head in covering relation thereto, adjacent marginal edge portions of adjacent plates being disposed in overlapping relation, a jacket having a body portion overlying and conforming to said inner concave surface of said head-protective member and having a plurality of strips attached 9. A helmet comprising a plurality of relatively movable sheet metal parts 'of concavo-convex form disposed in side by side relation and extending from one edge of the helmet to the opposite edge thereof and forming in combination a head-protective member having a concave inner surface adapted to conform generally to the wearer's head in covering relation thereto, adjacent marginal edge portions of adjacent-plates being disposed in overlapping relation, a jacket having a body portion overlying and conforming to said concave inner surface, a plurality of strips disposed in laterally spaced relation on and secured to said body portion and forming a pill-- rality of recesses therewith, certain of said metal plates having marginal edge portions thereof positioned in said recesses, respectively, and over lapped by said strips, respectively, and a plurality of strips disposed in laterallyspaced relation and secured to said first mentioned strips, respectively, and forming therewith a plurality of recesses,

certain of said metal plates having marginal edge edge. of the'helmet to the opposite edge thereof marginal edge portions in overlapped recesses, respectively, and means for holdingsaid marginal edge portions in said recesses.

10. A helmet having a head-protective member comprising a plurality of curved plates formed of impact-resisting material and assembled in side by side position in'head covering relation, said plates being relatively movable and having adjacent marginal edge portions thereof in overlapped relation, said overlapped portions being relatively movable, means formed of flexible sheet material disposed between the overlapped surface portions of said plates, and means includ- 1 ing said first mentioned means for holding said plates in said overlapped relation.

LOUIS G. FEMAN. 

